Picture-frame support



(No Model.)

L. RAQUEW. PICTURE FRAME SUPPORT.

Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

'me Nomus Pumas no., Nom-uma., wAsmNnmn, n. c,

UNITED STATES ATENT Grrros.

LEONARD RAQUET, OF NEWARK, NEIV JERSEY.

PICTURE-FRAME SUPPORT.

srnorrroarrolv forming part of Lettere Patent No. 438,257, dated october14,1890.

Application tiled November 12, 1888. Serial No. 290,513. (No model.) l YTo all whom it may concern.-

'Be it known that I, LEONARD RAQUET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Frame Supports;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form apart of this specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent picture-frames, for the displayofphotographs or other pictures, from being easily overturned, and toprovide a simpler, cheaper, and more reliable support for the frame thanheretofore; and the invention consists in the improved support andholding device for picture-frames, and in the combinations andarrangements of parts thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter setforth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several iigures,Figure 1 is a view of the rear of a picture-frame embodying myimprovements with the support and holder closed up against the back.Fig. 2 is a plan view of a modified form of a support-holder. Fig. 3 isa view of another form of holder secured to the rear of a frame andclosed up. Fig. et is a side view of Fig. 2 with its support or holderopen or extended. Fig. 5 is a similar view of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detailview showing the upper holder-support of Fig. 1 detached; and Fig. 7 isa section on line no, Fig. 6.

In said drawings, a indicates the back or rear of a picture-frame, andmay be made of pasteboard or wood and secured to the front part of theframe, or may be integral therewith.

b is a support to the frame, made of Wire or any desirable material andbent into various angles and curves, and having their upper ends bturned outward horizontally, so as to pivotally rest and turn in eyes cin the ends of supportholder d, Figs. l, 6, and

7. This support-holder isjmade, preferably, of wire and bent in the formshown in Fig. 6, so that the eyes in the ends shall project far enoughthrough the back of the frame to allow the easy insertion of thestraight ends of the support b, as shown in Fig. l.

e is a wire brace or stiffener, bent as shown in Fig. l, having straightsides e', and its top portion curved inward and downward so as to form astraight recess or depression e2, and the ends are turned at rightangles to the sides, as at e3, so as to allow of their being slipped orsprung into a hollow holding-tube f, secured to the back of thepicture-frame' in any desirable manner. This brace e is arranged to lieagainst the back and under the wire support when the device is closedup, as will be manifest.

The bottom extending portions of the Support b are made straight and ina line with the bottom of the frame, as shown at b2, so asl to form afirm rest upon a table or whatever the frame rests upon. This support isalso formed with shoulders b3, Fig. 1, on which the projections e4 ofthe brace e can rest When the holding device is open. The upper portionof the support b is bent outward at an angle so as to rest against therear of the frame, as shown at b4, Fig. 4, and when the device is openedand the brace brought down in position on the shoulders b3 this part b4acts as a spring to keep all the parts in position and prevent them fromcoming together when the picture-frame is moved or suddenly struck, asusually happens when the holding devices now in use are employed.

In place of the holders cl and f a metal plate h, Fig. 2, may beemployed, the upper portion being formed with projections h h bent overso as to form a tubular holder for the ends of the wire support, and theends of these projections passing through the rear portion of the frameand turned over so as to clinch the plate to the frame, as shown at h2,Fig. 4.. The bottom of the plate is also turned over, so as to form atubular holder h3 for the brace and clinched in a manner similar to theupper portion.

In Fig. 3 a modiiied form of the supporting device is shown. The holderm is made of a metal plate, with upper and lower tubular IOO Vthesuporting device is opened, as shown at n2, Fig. 5, and thus act as aspring to keep the parts in position.

The two ends of thev Wire brace are inserted in the tubular portion m2of 'the plate m and the wire then extends upward and outward to nearlythe distance desired to extend the support, when it is again bent inwardonl nearly a straight line, as shown at o o', Fig. 3, so as to rest uponthe shoulders n2 n2 of the support and inside of the same when the Ysupport is extended and the brace turned down to hold the parts inposition. The upper part of the brace ois bent outward or downward, asshown at o2, so as to hook or catch to the outside of the support.

I do not limit myself to the application ot my improvement topicture-frames, as the Same device can be applied to ladders orother iarticles requiring an independent support.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The improved locking-support herein-described, consisting of aspring-support pivoted in eyes secured to aframe-or other articlerequiring an independent support, provided with outwardly-extendingshoulders, and a brace pivoted to said frame or article and providedwith projections, as shown, to rest upon and engage with the shoulderson the support, said projections being connected together, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth. Y, p

2. In a locking-support, the combination, with the back of a frame, of asupport b, provided with 'shoulders b3, horizontal feet b2, springprojections b4, support-holder cl, provided With eyes c, adapted toreceive the ends of the support b, and brace e, pivoted to said back,provided with projections e4 and recess e2, adapted to engage with theshoulders b on said support, substantially as and for the purposessetfforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this31st day of October, 1888.

LEONARD RAQUETQ Y Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, E. L. SHERMAN.

